There are different reasons why loans get declined in South Africa by the banks and other creditors that offer borrowing. It can be disappointing to apply for a home loan or car finance only for a lender to deny your application leaving you feeling like you can’t get a loan approved anywhere.
These are the top 5 reasons why loans get declined:
- Your Employment Situation
- You Have a Lack of Affordability
- Your Credit Record is Bad
- You are Blacklisted
- You are Under Debt Review
If you prefer, you can watch this short video on the main reasons a bank or credit provider will dismiss a loan application.
Your Employment Situation
One of the first things a bank or creditor checks when you apply for a loan is your employment situation.
They will check if you have a permanent job with a regular income. Then they will look at what kind of job you have and how long you have been working for your employer.
So if you have been in permanent employment for less than six months this is one reason your loan may have been declined.
In addition the lender will determine what kind of salary you are earning and how that may be increasing in recent times.
The banks can see these details from your payslips and your bank account statements.
However, if you do not have a steady job but you are getting a regular income, you can show this to a creditor for a better chance of approval.
This may also interest you: No Payslip Loans to Borrow Cash Without a Payslip
You Have a Lack of Affordability
A lack of affordability is another reason why loans get declined in South Africa.
Even if you have long term employment and you are earning a good salary a credit provider can still refuse finance approval for lack of affordability.
Because your regular outgoing expenses can mean that you will not have enough money left to pay the monthly repayments on a loan.
Therefore if you think your application has been rejected because a creditor determines you cannot afford a loan. The thing to do is get your other monthly expenses lower before you apply again.
Your Credit Record is Bad
A bad credit record or poor financial history is a reason that your loan may have been declined.
Because banks and credit providers look closely at your credit score to see the kind of debt you have had previously. In addition how responsible you have been in paying off those debts to other lenders.
Things like defaults on payments or judgements in your credit history are red flags to a bank or creditor. Because they show that you might have been struggling to pay any loans or other debts you have had.
So if you have a low credit score on record the chances of getting approved for products such as car finance and home loans are slim to none.
You are Blacklisted
If you are blacklisted in South Africa you can’t get a loan from the banks or any approved credit companies. They will refuse you finance in this case.
Because official credit companies are operating under rules governed by The National Credit Act. Which you can read more about on the South African Government website here: National Credit Act.
Blacklisting simply means that a company has reported you to the credit bureaus. Because you may have been missing regular payments and not honoring a contract with a previous credit provider.
However it’s important to note that the term “blacklisted” is just a loose saying in South Africa. In actual fact there is no such thing as a black list or a white list of people relating to finance and debt.
In reality it’s just a negative point on your financial history that contributes towards lowering your credit score.
You are Under Debt Review
Sometimes people apply for a loan while under debt review in South Africa.
This is another reason that loans are declined. Because it is against the law for a bank to approve you for more credit which is in line with the National Credit Act.
Credit providers will deny you a home loan or car finance if you are under debt review. However if you manage to pay off all your current debts you can then apply to borrow.
Therefore it will not count against you if just because you were previously under debt review.
Just make sure that you that you speak to a financial consultant about how to clear a record of debt review from your credit history. Because this can go against you and hinder your chances of approval in future.
To Summarize the Reasons Loans Get Declined in South Africa
In summary we have learnt 5 reasons that loans can get declined from credit providers in South Africa.
Therefore go through these points and determine which of the reasons applies to you and your financial circumstances.
Please remember that every time you apply for finance it shows on your personal credit report. So don’t keep applying for loans if the banks are refusing your application. Because it will appear to a lender that you are desperate to borrow money.
Which in turn can inflate interest rates on any credit that you may get approval for in the future. Or can damage your credit report in such a way that most lenders will refuse your loan application.